Learning to Fly
by Levade
Summary: A sunny day, trees, a bit of rope, and Elladan and Elrohir are set to fly...


**_Disclaimer:_** Professor Tolkien envisioned, created and nurtured this world and its characters. His estate owns all rights. I only come to play and enjoy their world, and make no money. This is a bit of fluff that came to me as I was riding past several children playing on swings in the park. Me, I still enjoy this... :) Dedicated to Dragon, for all the hours of enjoyment and love of little elflings you've given.

**Learning to Fly  
by Levade**  


~*~*~

"Harder!"

The squeals of a delighted child rang through the glade.

"Go higher!"

Elrohir pouted a lip out, hopping from one foot to the other in a jig of impatience. "When is it my turn?"

"Soon, 'Ro...soon." Elrond caught his eldest son and shoved him away again, amid Elladan's whoop of joy.

Glorfindel, sitting in the shade of a nearby tree with Celebrian shook his head, watching Elrohir. "There's naught for it, Peredhil."

"Hmm?" Elrond almost caught his son in his face for his lack of attention, Elven reflexes saving him in time to shove the child away again.

Gesturing to the twin gazing anxiously at his brother, the golden haired elf rose to his feet, walking over to scoop the child up. "A second swing, of course. Right 'Ro?"

"Yes!" 

"Shall we go see if we can find some rope and a suitable piece of wood?"

The child threw his arms around the Elf lord, doing his best to choke him with his enthusiasm. 

"We'll be back, and then..." There was a gleam in the blue eyes as they met the grey of his friend. "We shall see who best flies."

Celebrian laughed merrily as she watched the blonde elf stride off with her youngest son. "It is fortunate, my lord, that there are two trees so close, with appropriate limbs."

"Higher, Ada! Higher!" Elladan could just...almost...touch that limb, and kicked at it as he swooped upwards fearlessly.

"Indeed." Elrond shook his head. "Elladan, any higher and you'll wrap around the tree limb."

Grey eyes, much like his sire's, lit with excitement. "Could I actually swing over? Push me harder, Ada!"

"Now you've done it, love," Celebrian giggled. "He won't be happy until he does precisely that."

Elrond smiled at her and stepped back, not pushing when the swing came swooping back. He laughed at his son's look of surprise as he shot a glance backwards. 

"Ada!" Elladan scowled ferociously. "I was almost touching it!" He kicked his bare feet, attempting to make the swing continue to go higher.

It only slowed, each arc up not quite as high as the one before.

"Elladan, no swinging over the top." Elrond waited until the motion of the swing and child were almost still before stepping forward. "Let me show you how you can keep yourself going, though..." He grabbed one of the ropes, kneeling to be at eye-level. "Your legs are a bit short yet."

"I can do it!" The child kicked, feet not quite touching the ground, just barely brushing the tops of the grass. "Show me, Ada." At a pointed look from his mother, he hastily added, "Please?"

"Very well." Elrond, haven lord of Imladris, once Herald to Gil-Galad, High King of the Noldor, glanced around to see if they were being watched. Satisfied they were not, he plucked the child from the swing and took his place, Elladan now on his lap. "Hold tight now."

"I will. Shall we go very high?" He pointed to the ever elusive limb. "I want to touch that!"

"Then let us see if we can!" Elrond backed up, and pushed off, relieved to find that swinging was indeed something that came back to one with easy familiarity. He hadn't done this since Elros and he were just a bit older than his own twins.

Elladan's whoop of joy was intoxicating and he began to use his legs to gain height.

"Ah, see, Elrohir?" Glorfindel was back, wood and rope in his arms, Elrohir trotting at his heels. "Here is a limb just made for a swing!" He eyed the distance, wanting to be certain two competitive boys would not be crashing into one another in their attempts to touch the sky.

The twin nodded, watching his father and brother with a slight scowl. 

It didn't escape Glorfindel's notice, and he called the child over. "Come, help me with this. We must be certain it is precisely right, you know. One cannot fly if the swing is not right..."

Celebrian leaned back against the tree and watched as the pair worked holes on either side of the flat piece of wood, before Glorfindel scaled the huge tree. Elrohir watched from below, offering advice in his little boy voice, still hopping around in excitement. 

"There! That is the highest point, Gofi!" 

Rope wound around his arm, Glorfindel paused to shoot the scamp a mild frown. Both boys knew, and could pronounce his name, quite well, but adored teasing him with the nickname of their younger days.

It was, Glorfindel reflected with a resigned sigh, something he was going to hear the rest of his very long life. 

Elrohir giggled at the frown, knowing the Eldar was not truly upset. Watching as the golden haired elf carefully looped the lengths of rope around the tree limb, tying them meticulously before checking his work by tugging on them. 

Satisfied, Glorfindel grabbed the ropes and swung down off the tree limb, hanging in air, testing again the strength of the limb. 

Dancing with glee, and watching anxiously as his twin and father continued swinging, Elrohir clapped his hands. "Hurry, Gofi, hurry!"

Shaking his head, he most certainly would not hurry overly much and have it on his head if Elrond's son was injured, Glorfindel tested the ropes the entire way down. He nodded as his feet touched the ground, jumping up to hang, watching the limb. "I think it's going to hold." With a grin for the impatient child before him, he took up the board and began to tie the ropes through the holes they had made. "I know you are anxious to be up and away, 'Ro, but you must let me be certain it is safe first."

"It is!" Trust shone in the tiny heart-shaped face almost as clearly as the impatience. 

"Yes, but I would not have you," Glorfindel tapped the child's nose with a warm smile. "hurt due to my carelessness."

"'Ro! Look at me!" Elladan waved, taking both hands from the rope, grinning madly.   
  
"Elladan!" Elrond caught the child, frowning. "Did I not say to hold tightly?"

"Yes, Ada." Still very much elated, Elladan held the ropes loosely, taking a chance to wave quickly at his Naneth. 

Glorfindel had finished tying the ropes to the flat wood, careful to make the seat even. He then sat, bouncing on it slightly, eyeing the limb above as if the tree would reach down and slap him for his impertinence.

Finally satisfied it would easily hold an elfling, he stood, turning to grin at Elrohir. "Are you still interested in this or have you grown bored waiting."

"I want to swing!" Elrohir darted forward to hug the older elf before hopping onto the swing. Kicking his feet, he grinned at Glorfindel. "Will you push me?"

"Hold on...." Glorfindel caught the edges of the swing and walked backwards. "Ready?"  
  
"Yes!"

Glorfindel looked up at the tree limb again, said a quick prayer to the Valar, and sent the bit of rope, wood and elfling flying forwards.

Elrohir shrieked in glee, dark hair whipping behind him. "Look at me, Adi! I'm flying too!"

Elladan, seeing that his twin was, indeed, now going solo, turned to look at his father. "Ada..."

Chuckling, Elrond obligingly stopped and gave the swing up to his son. Pushing his now quite mussed hair back he, gave him a push to start, and stepped back to simply watch.

Arms snuck around his waist, hugging him, as Celebrian leaned against his back, nuzzling her cheek into his shoulder. "They grow so fast."

"To think they were once so tiny as to fit in the palm of a hand." Glorfindel shook his head as he joined the couple, watching the twins. 

Elrond nodded, smiling in pride as he watched his sons.

As with anything, it became a competition, and the adults sat in the shade, laughing as the boys went up and down, back and forth, yelling to one another.

"I'm a bird!"

"I'm one of the great Eagles!"

"I'm a cloud!"

"I am a star!"

~*~*~


End file.
